2009 YEAR IN REVIEW

KNB CONGRATULATIONS TEAM NB @ THE NATIONALS

   Congratulations to the 2009 KNB Team, for their performances at the nationals in Calgary. Highlighting the performances were the Gold Medal for Katie Campbell in the 18-20, -60Kg category. AS well as the female Sportsman award. Katie has set a new standard for the rest to follow. Complimenting this, was the Silver Medal performance by Yashna Hathi, in the 14-15 +54KG. category. With their Gold & Silver Medal performances both Girls are going to El Salvador to represent Canada as members of the national Junior team, in September. Katie, if she holds her positioning, will additionally be selected to represent Canada in the Junior Worlds in Morocco, this fall.
   Finishing off the New Brunswick performances were Serge Kerry, who took a bronze medal in the mens -84 KG, and the men's team, consisting of Gabriel Gates, Kyle Sprague, Serge Kerry and Laurie Mazerolle. A very good outcome of 4 medals from 8 athletes. It should also be know that both Gabriel Gates & Kyle Sprague just missed the medal rounds and took 5th place finishes. Congratulations to all.

   Congratulations to two new Brunswick Senseis, Paul Oliver who passed his NKA 6th dan test, and Don Mazerolle who passed his NKA 5th dan test. Sensei Oliver becomes the Highest NKA dan ranked Black belt in eastern Canada, whereas Sensei Mazerolle joins an Elite group of only 4 who have NKA 5th dan ranking.
   Additional Congratulations to Senseis Katherine Douglass & Emmanuel Leblanc, who both received NKA official upgrades.

7TH TSURUOKA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT HELD IN NEWFOUNDLAND 2009

   St John’s, Newfoundland - A great showing for the Oscar Leger School of Karate at the 2009 Tsuruoka Nationals held in St. John's, Newfoundland on August 14th and 15th. The Tsuruoka National Championships are held every two years in a different province. For a second time, the New Brunswick Team won a Gold medal. Four of the five members of the winning Kumite team are from the Oscar Leger School. Winning team members included: Jean-Robert Bourgeois (Moncton), Paul Arsenault (Moncton), Serge Kerry (Pokemouche), Marcel Daigle (Moncton), Emmanuel Leblanc (Moncton) and Coach Oscar Leger (Moncton).

Front Row (left to right):
Danielle Haché (Bronze medal in Individual Kata, Bronze medal in Open Division Individual Kata, Silver medal in Individual Kumite), Lynn Arsenault (Bronze medal in Team Kata), Amélie Renaud (Silver medal in Individual Kata, Gold medal in Individual Kumite), Nathalie Arsenault (Bronze medal in Individual Kata, Bronze medal in Team Kata), Céline Gautreau (Gold medal in Individual Kata), Nicole Gautreau (Silver medal in Individual Kata, Silver medal in Open Division Individual Kata),
Second Row (left to right):
Julie Arsenault (Bronze medal in Team Kata), Marcel Daigle (Gold medal in Team Kumite), Josée Dion, Emmanuel Leblanc (Bronze medal in Individual Kata, Silver medal in Team Kata, Silver medal in Individual Kumite, Gold medal in Team Kumite),
Third Row (left to right):
Jean-Robert Bourgeois (Gold medal in Team Kumite, Official at the tournament), Jean-Pierre Haché (Official at the tournament), Bill Ross (Official at the tournament) Paul Arsenault (Silver medal in Team Kata, Gold medal in Team Kumite), Oscar Leger (Head Coach of the Moncton and New Brunswick Teams).

   At the banquet held on August 15th, O'Sensei Masami Tsuruoka graded the following members of the Oscar Leger School of Karate: Nicole Gautreau to Black Belt, Marcel Daigle to 3rd Degree Black Belt, Bill Ross to 5th Degree Black Belt, and Malcolm Ross (absent) to 5th Degree Black Belt.

KNB CONGRATULATIONS TO BLACKBELT GRADINGS

First row: Jean-Charles Grey - promoted to 3rd Dan, Isabelle Pellerin - promoted to 4th Dan, O'Sensei Tsuruoka, Amélie Renaud - awarded Black Belt (Junior), Josée Dion - awarded Black Belt, Jean-Robert Bourgeois - promoted to 7th Dan. Second row: Maxime Renaud - awarded Black Belt (Junior), Danielle Haché - awarded Black Belt, Jean-Pierre Haché - awarded Black Belt, Paul Arsenault - awarded Black Belt. All were graded in Moncton on the weekend of May 3, 2009

   Congratulations To Sensei Don Mazerolle, who has been selected/voted as a member of the National Karate Asssociation's Official Committee for Canada. Sensei Mazerolle, Atlantic Canadas first Pan American certified Official, has now become New Brunswicks first ever representative on the National Officials committee.